Artificial fish bait



May 5, 1959 J. A. wi-:sTERFlELD 2,884,730

ARTIFICIAL FISH BAIT Filed July '7, 1958 a ,23, /5' /6 /7 ,2/ d* I, /8

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ArraeA/Ey United States, Patent" 2,884,1s i Y ARTIFICIAL ISH BAIT j James A. Westerfield, Owensboro, Ky. y Application July 7, 1958, Serial No. 746,779

9 cleans.V (CI. .ts-zee) This invention relates to an artificial bait or lure used particularly in bait-casting fishing.

The primary object of the invention is to providean artificial bait which, when cast into a body of water beinvention will become more apparent to those versed in f the art in the following description of one form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichV Fig. l is a view in side elevation and partial section of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan and partial section of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a view in front end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in bottom plan and partial section of the forward end of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an operational view in side elevation showing the invention engaging a body of water while attached to a fish line; and

Fig. 6 is an operational view in side elevation showing the invention a step further from that shown in Fig. 5 in action to create the effects desired as above indicated.

The invention is shown herein as comprising a body 10 generally rectangular in shape having a well 11 entering from the top side thereof, opposing side walls 12 and 13, a floor 14, and rear and front end walls 15 and 16. A bearing 17 extends through an upper central zone of the front wall 16 and rotatably carries therethrough a crankshaft 18 extending outwardly therefrom on the outer side of the body 10 and thence for wardly by an end portion 19. The opposing end of the shaft 18, that is within the well 11, is formed into a hook 20.

A line engaging eye 21 is disposed on the outer face of the rear wall 15 and extends therethrough by a length 22 to form a second hook 23 in a fixed manner within the well 11. As shown in Fig. 2, this second hook 23 is disposed at the well end opposite from that of the rotatable hook 20. A plurality of rubber bands 24 extend the length of the well 11 and engage the opposing hooks and 23 so that upon turning of the crankshaft 18, these rubber bands 24 are -twisted into a wound condition.

An L-shaped fin 25 by its major leg end 26 engages the crankshaft end 19 to extend outwardly therefrom by its short leg 27. As shown in Figs. l and 3, the under surface 28 of the short leg 27 is beveled, that is,

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extends upwardly and outwardly f rom` onelowerfedge l The engagement of Y the major leg-end 26 with the crankshaft end 19 is such m that the fin short leg 27 is disposed at an acute anglewith the end19`rather than in axial alignment therewith.. This disposition of the 1eg27 with the end 19 is bestf.

to'merge into the' opposing side.

shown in Figs. 2 and 3, where the end 19 of the crank-- shaft 18V extends through the major leg end 26 iria. v diagonal manner As shown in Fig. 6, it is preferred that thefin 25 be lixedly secured to the crankshaft end 19,

that is, carried by the end 19 of the crankshaft 18 in a'V manner preventing rotation of the fin 25 relative to the end 19. This securing of the fin- 25 to the end 19 may. be performed by any well known means, such as by aff' press fit with an adhesive added if desired.

An L-shaped centrally disposed latch shaft 29 is 'slid`-l ably carried within eye members 30 and 31 at an ap-l proximately central, transverse zone under the forward end of the body 10. This shaft 29 carries by its rearwardly disposed short leg 32 a downwardly extending inverted V-shaped release fin 33, this release fin beingV approximately diamond shaped in longitudinal section.

A hook member 34 hangs downwardly from an abutment 35 on the shaft 2,9, said abutment being located at a zone centrally disposed betweenthe eye members. i

30 and 31. The latch shaft 29 is free to slide longitudi-y nally of the'body 10 through the eyel members 30 and' i 31 a predetermined distance in both forward and'rear-f ward travel, so that the outer forward end 36 of the:

in the rearward movement of the latch shaft 29, the abutment 35 strikes the eye member 30 to stop that movement while in the forward movement of the shaft 29, the short leg 32 of the shaft 29 will stop movement when abutting that eye member 30, this forward movement allowing the outer end 36 of the shaft 29 to come into the path of the crankshaft 18.

In operation, the crankshaft 18 carrying the fin 25 is turned in a clockwise direction to twist and wind the rub ber bands 24, thereby allowing the crackshaft 18 and the fin 25 to be set in a wound condition. Latch shaft 29 carrying the release fin 33 and the hook number 34 is then pushed forwardly until the outer end 36 of the shaft 29 comes into the path of the crankshaft 18 to latch the crankshaft and the fin 25 in its wound condition. This forward movement of the latch shaft 29 is controlled as above described and as shown in Fig. 1.

Of course, the bait generally indicated by the numeral 38 would be attached to a fishing line 39 which in turn engages a fishing pole and reel (not shown) so that the bait may be cast into the body of water being fished. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the fishing line 39 is fixed to the rear eye member 21 by means of a snap member or tied thereto as is shown. The bait 38 in its wound or set condition is then cast into a body of water, Fig. 5, whereupon the release fin 33 in striking the water causes the latch shaft outer end 36 to be pulled out of the path of the crankshaft 18, thereby allowing the crankshaft 18 with its fin 25 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction until the rubber bands 24 are completely unwound. As shown in Fig. 6, this rotation of the crankshaft 18 and the fin 25 splashing in and out of the water gives the effect of a struggling fish or insect on the water. In addition, the rotation of these members tends to drive the bait 38 in a direction away from the user so that any possibility of entanglement thereof with the fishing line 39 is eliminated.

The body 10 may be made out of any suitable buoyant Ptented May 5, 1,959

This predeterl.

material such as plastic or wood as indicated herein. The ns 25 and 33 may also be made out of any suitable material such as plastic, wood, metal, or even rubber as indicated herein.

It can be seen that the direction of travel of the bait in the Water may be changed and its overall performance varied by changing the shape of the n 25 or mounting it on the crankshaft 18 at a different angle. Therefore while I have described my invention in the particular form as now best known to me, it is apparent that structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An artificial fish bait comprising a body; a finned crankshaft rotatably carried by one end of -said body; a latch shaft slidably carried longitudinally alo-ng said body to extend within the path of said crankshaft; a hook member extending from said latch shaft; a crankshaft release fin carried by said latch shaft; and crankshaft driving means carried by said body.

2. An artificial fish bait comprising a body being peripherally flanged at the sides and ends defining an upwardly opening well; a crankshaft adjacent an inner end portion rotatably carried through one body end and entering said well; a fin carried on the outer end portion of said crankshaft; latch shaft slide members; a latch shaft slidably carried by said members longitudinally under said body to within the path of said crankshaft outer end; a hook member hanging from said latch shaft; a release fin carried by said latch shaft; and means carried within said well enabling the crankshaft to be rotated to a drive condition.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said driving means comprises a plurality of rubber bands extending from said crankshaft to the well opposite end.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said crankshaft fin is substantially L-shaped and is provided with a lower beveled edge; said fin being carried diagonally to the axis of said shaft.

5. The structure of claim 2 in which an abutment is carried by said latch shaft controlling rearward travel of said shaft when contacting one of said slide members; and a second abutting member is carried by said shaft controlling forward travel thereof when contacting said slide member.

6. An artificial fish bait comprising a body having a floor with upstanding side, front and rear walls; a crankshaft rotatably carried through said front wall and having an end portion extending outwardly therefrom; a fm carried by said end portion; driving means extending from said crankshaft and fixed to said rear wall; a latch shaft slidably carried fore and aft under said body and extending adjacent an outer end portion thereof in its fore position in the path of said crankshaft end portion; a hook member carried by said latch shaft; and means carried by said latch shaft adapted to withdraw said outer end portion from the path of said crankshaft.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which there are means limiting the fore and aft travel of said latch shaft.

8. The structure of claim 6 in which said withdrawing means comprises a second fin carried by said latch shaft at a zone rearwardly from said first fin.

9. The structure of claim 6 in which said fin is substantially L-shaped and is directed outwardly on a vertical angle from the axis of said end portion.

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 19, 1919 

